Never Forget Me
by ShadowsintheFlames
Summary: An alternate version of the Doctor and Rose's parting scene in "Journey's End." It absolutely killed him, denying his love for her to the very end. The Doctor knew if he had said those three simple, little words, she would have been his forever. He could feel his hearts shattering at the knowledge that he had missed his last chance to say the words that would keep her by his side


A/N: Hello! This is my first attempt at fan fiction, so I hope you enjoy it. Please review. Any feedback is appreciated.

This is basically an alternate version of the scene from "Journey's End" where the Doctor leaves Rose in the parallel universe. After going through so much to get back to the Doctor, I don't think she would have just let go of him in favor of the metacrisis Doctor the way it happened in "Journey's End." (Well, honestly I don't think she would have let him go at all.)

Anyway, hope you enjoy this.

disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Doctor Who. I'm just another fan who loves it.

* * *

**Never Forget Me**

Rose merrily swung open the door of the TARDIS. Her mother, the Doctor, the Doctor's metacrisis, and the Doctor's friend Donna Noble piled out behind her.

Rose looked around. It was a beach, Bad Wolf Bay in the Norway of Pete's world. The place where the Doctor had been torn from her last time.

"Hold on, this is the parallel universe, right?" asked Rose.

Rose turned to face the Doctor, wondering why he brought her here. It only took one look at his face to get her answer.

"You're back home." the Doctor said flatly.

"And the walls of the world are closing again." Donna added, before chattering on about all the scientific details of the walls between worlds like the Doctor would normally do.

"No. But, I spent all that time trying to find you, I'm not going back now." protested Rose.

No! This was not happening. She had blasted her way through the walls between realities to get to him again, she was not about to let him just drop her off at home and go on his merry way.

"But you've got to. Because we saved the universe, but at a cost," the Doctor's eyes flicked to the metacrisis. "And the cost is him. He destroyed the Daleks. He committed genocide. He's too dangerous to be left on his own."

The Doctor continued to talk, Rose could not believe it, the Doctor wanted her to stay here with the metacrisis.

"But he's not you." objected Rose.

"He needs you. That's very me."

Rose grew more incredulous as the Doctor, Donna, and the metacrisis continued to talk. How could they just expect her to accept losing the man she loved and settle for a copy of him?

The TARDIS wheezed.

"We gotta go. This reality is sealing itself off, forever." declared the Doctor.

"But, it's still not right." prostested Rose. "Cause, the Doctor's still you."

"And I'm him." answered the Doctor.

"Alright. Both of you, answer me this. When I last stood on this beach, on the worst day of my life, what was the last thing you said to me?" Rose looked at the Doctor expectantly. "Go on, say it."

"I said 'Rose Tyler.' " answered the Doctor.

"And? How was that sentance gonna end?" promted Rose.

"Does it need saying?" asked the Doctor.

"Better late than never." insisted Rose, but the Doctor just stared at her and remainded silent.

Rose turned to the metacrisis. "And you, Doctor? What was the end of that sentance?"

The metacrisis leaned forward and whispered in her ear. "Rose Tyler. I love you."

Rose glanced back and forth between the two men, torn between the one she had been on so many adventures and fallen in love with, and the one who she had just met, yet declared his love for when her Doctor would not.

Rose made her choice.

Turning to face the real Doctor, she walked right up to him.

"Well, I guess this is good-bye." said Rose, tearing rolling down her face.

The Doctor looked at her, wearing that serious expression he always did when he was trying to be strong. "Yeah."

"Well then, Remember your promise Doctor. Never forget me..."

Rose crushed her lips against the Doctor's before he got a chance to process what was happening. She could feel tears sting her eyes as she thought of all they could have had, but never would. She pulled back before he could struggle, it would kill her even more than it was killing him - and yes, she knew it was killing him to let her go - if he pushed her away again.

"...Because I'll never forget you."

* * *

It absolutely killed him, denying his love for her to the very end. The Doctor knew if he had said those three simple, little words, she would have been his forever. He could feel his hearts shattering at the knowledge that he had missed his last chance to say the words that would keep her by his side.

"Well, I guess this is good-bye."

"Yeah"

"Well then, remember your promise Doctor. Never forget me..."

The Doctor felt his hearts clench, he had to be strong, he had to let her go. She would be happier here, with him, his human copy. If he let her come back in the TARDIS, she would spend the rest of her days at his side, wandering the stars together. Together forever, until the day she died. But if she stayed, she could have what he could never give her. A home, a family, growing old together. She would be happier if she staryed.

The Doctor was suddenly aware of Rose's lips on his. Instinctively his hands rose to hover at her waist, to pull her in and hold her close, and never, ever let her go. In a single instant, he saw their lives flash before his eyes, all they would never be.

Rose pulled away before he got a chance to react.

"...Because I'll never forget you."

The Doctor felt his hearts tear to shreds as he watched Rose run to her waiting family, her future.

The Doctor motioned to Donna and they returned to the TARDIS.

The Doctor took one last look at his Rose through the half-closed door of the TARDIS.

"Rose Tyler, I love you." The words he never said tasted strange on his tongue, wonderful, but tainted by his sorrow. "I will never forget you. I promise."

* * *

Rose turned and ran back to her mother and the metacrisis, not daring to look back. She knew if she looked back she would run straight back in to the TARDIS. She could sense the relief of her mother and the metacrisis Doctor that she was staying.

Rose met the inqusitive eyes of the metacrisis. Well, her Doctor now. The question in his eyes was clear. _What happens now?_

Rose kept her eye locked on her Doctor's as she heard the TARDIS wheezing out of her universe. She waited until she could no longer hear TARDIS before turning around to face the now deserted beach.

"Rose, darling. Are you going to be okay?" asked her mother.

Rose turned to her Doctor and tentatively reached out to stroke his face. He reached up and romoved her hand from his face, grasping it firmly in his own. Her eyes met his, and she could see in his eyes the protective adoration she had seen in the original Doctor's eyes so many times.

"You and I will have so many adventures together, Rose Tyler." whispered her Doctor.

Rose turned back to address her mother. "Yeah." And it was true.

Rose Tyler would be okay.


End file.
